Protecting Yourself Against Falls Around the House

June 24, 2015

It’s time to repair broken steps, clean out the medicine cabinet, and install lighting in dim hallways. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults (National Council on Aging). Thankfully, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, many falls can be prevented. Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric has compiled a list of tips and suggestions on what you can do to help prevent falls.

How to Prevent Falls Around the House:

Wear proper footwear. Shoes, specifically athletic shoes greatly reduce the risk of falls. The risk of falling increases if in socks or stockings, or when barefoot.

Use non-skid rugs or secure rugs to floor to reduce chances of slipping on linoleum.

Store frequently used items in easy-to-reach areas, try and avoid the need for a step stool.

Exercise regularly. The stronger the body, the more likely a person is to sustain a fall with minimal injury.

Be careful of Medications. Some medicines—or combinations of medicines—can have side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness. This can make falling more likely. Having a doctor or pharmacist review all medications can help reduce the chance of risky side effects and drug interactions.

Get your eyes checked. As you get older, you should have your eyes checked every year and wear glasses or contact lenses with the right prescription strength to ensure you are seeing clearly.

Assure proper lighting. Dark or dimly lit rooms can make tripping, or running into furniture or objects, more likely.

Remove things you can trip over (such as papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk.

Install handrails and lights on all staircases.

Put grab bars inside and next to the tub or shower and next to your toilet. (Applewood can help with this!)

Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors.

Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric would be happy to check for safety hazards in your home. Give us a call today, 303-328-3096. Visit us online at ApplewoodFixIt.com.

Tips provided by the (CDC) Center for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov and (NSC) National Safety Council, www.nsc.org.